In re A.L. CA4/2

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant and appellant R. L. (Father) appeals from the February 14, 2024 orders

terminating parental rights to his child, A.L., and selecting adoption as A.L.’s permanent

plan. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 366.26.1) Father does not challenge the section 366.

orders. Instead, Father challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the court’s

November 30, 2022 jurisdictional findings pertaining to Father (§ 300, subds. (b)(1), (g)),

and the disposition order denying Father reunification services on the grounds Father is

A.L.’s “mere” biological father, not presumed father, and reunification services for

Father would not serve A.L.’s best interest (§ 361.5, subd. (b)).

As an initial matter, Father claims he has shown good cause for not timely

appealing the November 30, 2022 dispositional orders: he was not given written notice

of his right to appeal the orders; nor was he given written notice of his right to petition for

an extraordinary writ, challenging the October 17, 2023 order setting the section 366.

hearing. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 5.590(a), (b).2) A.L.’s mother, C.L. (Mother), also

appeals from the section 366.26 orders. Mother joins…